How to keep your telephone number when switching provider

When you switch your broadband provider to a different full fibre, 4G, or satellite service, you must consider whether to keep your existing landline telephone number or use a mobile phone instead.

If you want to keep using your existing telephone number, you can sign up for a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephone service.

The critical thing to remember is that if you cancel your existing broadband and telephone service without first transferring your telephone number to a VOIP service, you will lose your number forever. For some people, this can cause an unexpected problem.

Many fibre broadband providers like Gigaclear, Zoom, Airband and FullFibre Ltd do not provide a landline telephone number as part of their package. This is also the case if you take up a 4G or satellite internet service.

Some people like to keep their separate landline (although many broadband providers do not offer a landline phone-only service), others opt to transfer their phone number to VOIP, while many ditch their landline number and use a mobile instead.

One of the significant benefits of VOIP is that you can receive and make calls from your landline number anywhere when connected to the internet. You can even use your mobile phone with a VOIP app.

VOIP services typically cost from around £6 per month to £15.

You can find out more about VOIP at the links below:

Money SuperMarket:What is VoIP and How Does It Work?

broadbandchoices: VoIP: The complete beginner’s guide

Note: A landline number is just a regular phone number that relies on physical wires to enable voice calls. Before cell phones existed, metal or cable wires were the only way a phone in a home or office could place or receive calls.